Procrastination
by avoca
Summary: A short scene in which Kid ponders on his future with Heyes if they get the amnesty.


Jed Curry ran his right hand through his blond curls and let out a small sigh

Procrastination

(Or how things always look better in the morning – especially if your partner is Hannibal Heyes)

Jed Curry ran his right hand through his blond curls and let out a small sigh. He stood to the side of the hotel room window and looked out on the main street of Knottsville. The town was silent. It was that time before dawn when quietness lay like a blanket over the settlement. It was, in Curry's mind, the most perfect time to think things through. Curry being a "wanted man" was always on his guard but at this time of the night come morning when the world wasn't quite prepared to say goodbye to the darkness or to greet the approaching day, he could let his cautious nature take a rest and allow his mind to wonder. He glanced over at the sleeping form of his partner huddled under the dark blue counterpane of the bed. He smiled as he heard the gentle snores emanating from Heyes. His eyes wondered over the hotel room. It looked similar to so many that they had stayed in over the years. This one was cleaner than some they had come across. They had shared the one bed last night not for monetary reasons but because it was the only room available. The hotel was busy because the stagecoach, which travelled from Bigbend to Los Lobos, had broken an axle just outside the town and the occupants had been forced to stay over until the necessary repairs could be made. Heyes had been pleased by the bustle in the hotel lobby when they had checked in. The towns' people were far too concerned about the stage accident to take much notice of two drifters riding into town.

Curry switched his attention back to the main street and closed his eyes. He and Heyes never minded sharing rooms or beds. They had long ago found natural sleeping positions that ensured each man had his own niche. Hell! Sharing with each other was as natural as breathing for the partners. They looked out for each other and had done so for so long that Curry couldn't remember a time when Heyes hadn't been there for him or indeed vice versa but that could change soon and this evening for the first time Jed Kid Curry had realised that fact.

After checking in to their hotel room they had headed to the bathhouse where they had been lucky enough to secure two tubs of, hot, clean water. They had sat in the steaming water laughing and talking about nothing in particular until Curry's stomach had reminded him how hungry he was then they had eaten supper in the only restaurant the town had to offer. The food turned out to be wholesome and the place was pleasant with a pretty brunette serving their table who blushed every time one of the men addressed her. During the meal Curry had commented on how their luck was holding up lately. They had completed a simple enough delivery job for a rancher who had needed a prize bull delivered to a new owner, which was the reason they had a hundred dollars each in their pockets. They had managed to get the last room in the hotel and then they had succeeded in getting to the restaurant ahead of the passengers from the stage. All in all Curry felt life was good. They were six months into the agreement about their amnesty with the Governor and although they had had their fair share of hard times things seemed to be getting better. They drank a few beers at the bar in the second of the saloons they had visited while Heyes studied the poker players at a table near them.

Curry opened his eyes but the only thing that had changed outside his window was the colour of the sky. Feint tinges of orange bled into the dark expanse and soon he would have to face a new day. His thoughts drifted back to last night. Heyes had taken the place of a cowboy who had played a few hands of poker then left the saloon while he had stood sipping his beer and studying the working girls. The saloon was busy but he didn't have any trouble attracting the interest of two or three of the "Hostesses" who had offered him their company at the bar but although he hadn't been with a woman for a few weeks somehow he just wasn't in the mood for a quick poke. He began to feel uneasy and turned to watch Heyes at the poker table. His partner looked relaxed and pulled his winnings from the last hand towards his small stake. The hairs on Curry's neck stiffened and suddenly the cowboy sitting opposite Heyes shouted, "Now hold on a dang minute. I don't know how you did it but you had to be cheating, Mister. There's no way I should'a lost that hand!"

Curry studied the cowboy. He was young, maybe twenty. His dark brown hair peeped out from under his hat and one or two locks of it were plastered against his forehead with the sweat that ran in small rivulets down his face. His green eyes were wide but his hands remained on his cards on the table. He was nervous and Curry knew from experience that nervous men did stupid things. Heyes was also studying the man opposite him. He smiled at the young cowboy but the grin didn't make it to his eyes. He sat back in the chair and for a full minute he said nothing just looked at the youngster then very slowly he spoke.

"Let's see your hand." It was a command issued in a compelling voice but Heyes never took his eyes off the cowboy.

The young man turned his cards over. Three queens lay in all their splendour. Brown eyes locked with green ones. "Have to admit it, if that was my hand I'd sure expect to win but sometimes luck just doesn't run with a fella." The brown eyes were calm but somehow chilling. Heyes went on. "Don't know iffen you've played much poker but I have and the one thing I've learned from all those games is that sometimes luck just ain't with you. Now I've lost a few hands tonight but luck seems to be with me and a man would have to be crazy to think three aces could be beaten and I was right." Heyes stopped talking and the other players at the table murmured amongst themselves. The cowboy sitting to the right of Hayes spoke up. "I guess there's a whole lot'a truth in what this fella's saying." He pointed at Heyes and continued on. "It's just bad luck to be beaten when you hold three queens but that's all it is - bad luck."

Heyes smiled widened but his eyes never left the young troublemaker. "It seems to me there's an easy way to prove I wasn't cheating and it doesn't involve anybody getting' hurt. Turn the deck over and look through it." The other players at the table muttered their agreement and the young cowboy turned the cards over. The fourth ace lay in the middle of the deck and no other aces appeared. The young man wiped the sweat from his eyes. "It appears that I was a mite too hasty and if you haven't taken offence I think I'll take the money I have left on the table and go." The young cowboy gulped nervously and waited for Heyes to speak.

"I reckon that's a good idea." Heyes watched the cowboy pick up the few dollars from the table and he continued to watch the man as he left the saloon. He stood up and addressed the other players at the table. "Gentleman, I think I'll call it a night." Heyes pocketed his winnings and made his way to Curry's side at the bar.

Curry had watched the exchange between his partner and the cowboy and he continued to watch the saloon door long after Heyes had joined him at the bar. Heyes was in good form and made light of the event. They drank a few more beers and then made their way to the hotel. Heyes read a few pages of some book which he had picked up on their travels and Curry settled down to sleep. A few minutes later Heyes had turned down the lamp and shortly after that his breathing had evened out and Curry knew his partner was asleep but he himself had been unable to settle down. He had spent the next few hours tossing and turning and finally he had given up on the idea. He had slipped quietly from the bed and dressed, finding his clothes with the ease of someone who was used to getting ready in a hurry then he had stood by the window looking out at the darkness and thinking.

Heyes and Curry had known each other since they were children and when they started to ride together they had always looked out for each other. Heyes could out talk a room full of schoolgirls and he had the sharpest mind that Curry had ever encountered. Curry was different from Heyes in every way possible. In looks they were night and day and their minds worked differently. Curry was fast with a gun and because of that some people made the mistake of thinking he was slow in his thinking but that was untrue. Curry liked to take his time with his thinking the same way he liked to appraise his opponents. Not only had this trait saved his life and that of his partner but also many a would be gun slinger had walked away from a fight with the notorious Kid Curry because of that cool, calm exterior. Sure the Kid had a temper and it had gotten him into trouble many times but when it came to a gun fight he was always calm and sometimes that calmness had helped one of Heyes's more outlandish schemes to work. Curry was dependable and he and Heyes had become as comfortable together as an old pair of boots.

Curry sighed and closed his eyes. He was tired but he couldn't rest until he had unscrambled his jumbled thoughts. Then suddenly they fell into place they way the tumblers did for Heyes when he worked on a safe. After the amnesty Curry would be redundant in Heyes's life. Hannibal Heyes would make a name for himself in the business world just as he had done in the outlaw one but Curry would be a hindrance to that success. Curry knew that once he didn't have to live under an alias any longer that he would be called out by young hot shots trying to make them selves famous and that would hinder his partner in any legitimate business he founded. Curry had seen how Heyes had handled that young cowboy in the saloon and while he had been ready to back his partner up he wasn't needed. Heyes had used his intelligence and his charm to win that battle and that's when Curry's thoughts had begun to trouble him. It had taken him the last few hours to fix all the pieces in place and now suddenly as the sun came up the only possible outcome of their future as partners was revealed clearly for him.

Curry knew with clarity that once the amnesty was granted he would have to part from Heyes. It was the only way that would ensure that his friend made a success of his new life without a gunslinger, Curry hated to think of himself as that but knew it was what the world called him, dogging his every move. Heyes would need to move in respectable circles if he was going to run a legitimate business and Curry doubted if a known gun would be welcomed into fancy parlours. Suddenly Curry was shocked back from his thoughts by the presence of a hand on his shoulder. He hadn't reached for his gun, as he seemed to know instinctively his partner's touch. Curry opened his eyes and looked into brown eyes. The sun was up and glow of its rays lit up his partner's face. Curry, just for a moment, revealed the pain of his thoughts in his eyes before he smiled. Heyes had caught the look of anguish in those blue eyes and the mechanism of his brain worked quickly to resolve the problem. Heyes returned Curry's smile but left his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"You couldn't sleep?" He went on not giving Curry time to answer. "It's a beautiful morning and not too hot yet. Want to get cleaned up and grab an early breakfast before the stage passengers get there?"

"Yeah, Heyes, sounds like a plan. One of your better ones." Curry replied but didn't move from his position at the window.

"You know, Kid. That cowboy last night got me to thinking." Heyes paused for a moment expecting some joke from Curry but he continued on when he realised that it wasn't forthcoming. "Well it worked out okay but I was real glad that you were standing at the bar. Somehow you being there gave me confidence to talk to that fella." Curry tried to interrupt but Heyes continued on. " I know we don't talk about stuff like that very much, Kid, but I want you to know something. You're the best partner a man could have and after the amnesty comes through well I hope you'll want to continue to ride with me. You know, even with your dogone temper and all the trouble you get us into, you're the best friend I could ever have." Heyes let his brown eyes linger on Curry's blue ones then he patted him on the back and went to the nightstand where he poured water from a pitcher standing there into the matching ewer.

Curry laughed. "My temper! What about all your crazy schemes?" The Kid turned from his musings at the window and his eyes were clear and cornflower blue as he spoke. "What about that crazy idea of yours to blow the safe in the hotel where the Bannerman agency was holding a general meeting?"

Heyes studied his friend for a moment then turned his attention to lathering his face in readiness for the razor he held in his hand. Everything would be all right. It was a new day and it brought with it the promise of a new future for both of them.


End file.
